Rail joint



ug., E7 926 1,596,250

Vil. C. HACKMAN RAIL JOINT Filed Nov, 23 1925v 2 Sheets-Sheet l d Si .d

BY v

4244; Q .5TM ATTQRNEY.

Aug. 17 192.,

w. c. HAQKMAN RAL JOINT Filed Nov. 23, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2I 'INI/ENTOR. www @www gw; @.TMQZ

ATTORNEY,

Patented Aug. 17, 1926.

V c kwiitnriiiii :HAckMA'NQ Vor ,M'IIJWAUKEng Wisconsin.

The invention relates 'to :rail joints.; i j In usual practice, the `ends ofadjacent rails are connected by fishsplates which 'perf mit relative movement of the ends of the rails, with the result 'that'ithe ends of the rails are flattened down at lthejointand become battered and un'ev'ei'i causing shocks to be transmittedl -to the cars passing over the uneven rails which 'produce wear on Athe rolling stock, and in the v`case of passen-v lger Vtrains causes discomfort to Vthe -passe-ngers because Vof Vthe jolting effects.- AThe object of this invention is to provide a rail .joint inwhich' the 'fish-plates are firmly interlocked` with the rails :by wedge means associatedwith the fish-plates Vand thef'ad- ,jacentends of the rail, fand 'av further Vobject of the linvention iste-maintain a substantially even pressure on the wedge means at all times so as to take up any slack that may occur at the joint.

The invention further consists in the'sevu eral features hereinafter set forth and morel yparticularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is aplan view of a rail joint embodying the' invention;

F ig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevation view of one side of the joint;

Fig. 1 is an elevation view of the other side of the joint.

In the dra-wings the numeral 5 designates a pair of adjoining rails, 6 fish-plates, .7 a wedge; 8 wedge-locking springs, and 9 and 10 spring-locking wedges. y

The fish-plates 6 are of special construction in that in addition to their angled portions 11 and 12, designed to respectively engage the web 13 and base flange 14 of the V rails, they are each provided withadependfui ing flange 15 having a slot 16. A wedgeplate 17 has an outer depending, flange 18, an intermediate flange 19 and an upwardly projecting flange 20` and is designed to rbe passed through the slots 16 of the fish-plates to assume thel position shownfin Fig. rk2.

The wedge 7 is driven in between the under sides 21 of both the rails and the'plat-e 17 and by its wedging action presses upwardly on the rails and downwardly on the plate 17 which in turn presses or pulls downwardly on the flanges 15', with the result that the portion 12 of the fish-plates is firmly held against the rails; which c m JOINT..-

Application sieaf'ueveniber 23,'ti925. seriafiinaroissi. move :relative to each jother because of the lvice-like"grip of the ends -of 'the rails-'ibe- -tween the wedge 7 and the'fish-plates.v The fish-plates 67 -in addition, have their angled portions 11 secured t'o thejweb ofthe .rail l 'the bolts 22 'and said plates preferably have longitudinally extending recesses 23 'adjacent'the bolts -to 'facilitate aV fit against the rail.

" "Anysui'ta'ble 'means may be used for ein Y ye'rting' pressure between .the wedge 7 and the plate 17 to hc'ld'the wedge 7 inpla'ce,v

but-Ip`refer rto provide means which will `-insurela constant predetermined or known pressure acting on said wedge. For tliis' purpose the wedges 19 and 10 andthe springs It will be noted that the plate 17-and the wedge 7 are of suflicient width to extend beneath parts of both of the rail ends. A

With this construction the fish-plates 6 are first attached to the rail by the bolts 22 and the plate 17 with the wedge 7 loose thereon is moved in soy as to engage the depending flanges 15 of the fish plates; the wedge 7 is then pushed forwardly after which the springs 8 with the wedge piece 9 are puton the plate 17 5 the wedge 10 is then driven between the wedge 9 and the projecting flange 20 on the plate 17; thereby forcing the wedge 9 inwardly and compressing the springs 8 and finally becoming locked when thel pins 36 register with the holesr277 at which time .the springs 8 have been given ya predetermined tension which they constantly exert against the wedge 7 and hold it firmly in position and thus prevent any slack occurring between the parts of the joint. The tension of the springs 8 is great enough so as to exceed that com-y ponent of the bearing pressure,V exerted I desire it to be understood that this; inf

claims or necessitated*bythe;` prior art. What I 'claim Yasiay.-invention is 1. In ayrail jai-'nt the combination with g vention is notto be limited to anyspecific: i form or arrangement o-f parts?.except4 in so far as such limitations are;specifiedE in the` che adjinineeeifli 0f' flatrate; l

means engageable with parts of said fishplates and with the adjacent ends of the rails to firmly hold the fish-plates and rail ends together, and spring means for exerting a constant predetermined tension on said Wedge means.

2. In a rail joint, the combination with the adjoining rail ends, of fish-plates secured to the adjacent ends of the rails and having depending flanges, of wedge means cooperating with said flanges to firmly clamp the fish-plates to the base flanges of the rail, and spring means for exerting a constant predetermined tension on said wedge means.

3. In a rail joint, the combination of a pair of fish-plates secured to the ends of adjoining rails and provided with depending slotted fianges, a wedge plate carried i by said flanges, a wedge disposed between said plate and the bottom sides of the rails at the joint, and spring means for maintaining said wedge in operative position.

4. In a rail joint, the combination of a pair of fish-plates secured to the ends of adjoining rails and provided with depending slotted flanges, a wedge plate carried by said fianges, a wedge disposed between said' plate and the bo-ttom sides ofthe rails at the joint, a spring, and spring tensioning wedges interposed between said wedge and said wedge plate.

5. Ina rail joint, the combination ot' a pair of fish-plates secured to the ends of adjoining rails and provided with depending slotted flanges, 4a wedge plate carried by said flanges, a wedge disposed between said plate and the bottom sides of the rails at the joint, a spring, and spring tensioning wedges interposed between said Ywedge and said tensioning wedge plate, one of said wedges having interlocking engagement with said wedge plate.

6. In a rail joint, the combination with the adjoining rail ends, of fish-plates, wedge means engageable with parts of said fishplates and with the adjacent ends of the rails to hold the fish-plates and rail ends together, and spring means exerting a tension on said wedge means in excess of that component of the bearing pressure, exerted upon the rails by the rollingstock, tending to loosen said wedge means.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

WILLIAM C. HACKMAN. 

